The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-06-09
Reply Of Good Templar's Executive Com
ToGENERAL NEAL. BOWS LETTER OF IN,I IIi;l

hoply OF UO0d IonplarS Executive COm-
mittee
GENERAL MEAL. BOWS LETTER OF INQUIRY.
DEAR In last weeks Republican Jour
nal you ask us whether The police judge in this
city has in any way hnderc'l the enforcement
of the prohbitogy law and if 50, how?
We wish to say that his course has rendered
enforcement of the law wcll-n.h impossible
here, and that the greatest obstacle we have 50
far met in our work is found in this court.
For years the liquor traffic has been unrr-
strained here so far is this court is concerned.
Irlor 10 last November. we are not aware that
this judge ever issued warrant for search and
seizure. In lSS2 George Il. Bracket drew sew
cral complaints and presented them to the
Judge, but he refused to issue the warrants
thereon Ti;cn the matter dropped till the SUM-
MGR of l>>'i, when the rlcryymrn Of the city be-
gan to aoitatc the question of enforcement and
then called on the judge in reference to it, lie
thoroughly discouraged them. He told them it
would be almost impossible for them to get Il
warrant without thu knowledge of the rum sell
cf. that the better way was to have the parties
indicted. They We're entirely discouraged. and
nothing more was done until fail. Belfast Lodge.
!. q. OF q. H., then appointed the present eN-
ctutlNc committee. including every clergyman
in Belfast, and the judge WAS again called on.
lie refused to issue any warrant on the simple
oath of any man. When his attention was call
fused to obey it; declaring il H"ro"Sfji"ijon-
W:
''R. s., chap. -. sec. 70. II any person conf
pctcnl 10 he Il witness in civil suits. makes
sworn complaint before any agc OF IL lnlln.i-
pal or police court OF trial Justice that he be-
leVcs that Intoxicating Iiql,nr> are .nliW fully
kept and deposited in amy place in The state hy
any person. and that the same are intcE'l.'d for
sale within the state in violation of the law
such magistrate sh"W tssn" his trrf1Wpi," &c.
II may seem almost incredible to YOU that Il,
petty police .uH.c Should ;t4>,!inc -i!rh mighty
powers. and it certainly would lie Ncrl ltuglli-
bic il il were not 50 very aggrayain@. He
"ravcy READ a> his authority for this remarks
bic 'rri>ion. the following section iroin the
Constitution of Maine.
"Art. | Sct.1 No Warrant to search any
person OF place, or seize any person or thing.
shall issue without 4 special designation of the
place to he searched, AMI the person or thing
to be Sciz'd Il. nor without probable cause sap
portcdhv Data OF aliirmttion."
Nothing could Induce li.e jr,l.r t. grant Il
warrant OH the simple oatI Of ANY s4i;in.
lie rose superior to the law a,l declared il
null and void in all eases before his rouit.
November ;hh several of the committee call
ed upon him AGAIN an, made complaints against
has. o'( nnnol and rhps. liali-h After mitch
delay arc! in>onr" On ihe part Of the judge
the warrants Were issued. Omc Of the clergy
men then ma Il sworn complaint against
complaint, he declared that he rouli not issue
his warrant Tht clergyman then stated that
r"llr"lhah i!.,I just told hEi that II" kHrW
where v y!nan k"lt lis liquor. This the i,uj.r
called ''hmar>aN AMI still refused the WarfHat,
thus a'Ilu" injury - Insult iv throwing :lis-
credit upon the cicrgi t!iin' oath. \ prIir,-
man pr, sent remembered Mnf ne nr,.. frnL q
"fHHh"H W"H ri u Nh'Hh = NfUFSi"g. and
this being 'l'roFai'c cnu>,." which the cpr-A-
mans oath was not. tue warrant WIS issued.
During all his delay the IuNl sellers We're
rushing about like frightened ants MAKING
themselves sr'ur. and prclitrin.. for the com
ing officers. Wymnn's was remote. a!lI Il large
quantity of liquor was fntiid there, hut the
I;nigr had 50 drawn the warrant that il was
u,la~'ie' finally and The liquors returned. Al
l!aUgh> "iilN tlt|r was found: ami thnj,gil
abundant; r>i'icl,cc of sale. such - bot
ties. barrels. !; ;lulnp, GLASSES and other bar
fixtures Were. found t,t n't onnc~. ille jtli -
rnul'! not lhl ''prnHhc cause" and he was dis
charged. Still this man j. chronic offender.
having been fined again and again for joiaiion
OF the prohibt"ry law, and l,t.lg al tilr time
under Indictment Ga four counts
The judges office is thc Ollie. Of 4 l;rM ,i,:t-
per "t which Ii. i the editor: and Frequently.
While nll,lAini- ar, being meade. t,iird parties
pass III a put. tp say noiiils.. ut A "u! !!nyrr-
of the paper. just across tie street FROM the
"tiirr nr,. located three r,iln shops. a!d she oniN
entrance to his office j. in their i,ili View Illus
mi!t"e 10 enter the rilirr un>r"n. tn,ivi these
circumstances il was Thought the iu,t., Wotsli
take SDHtr prcr;tIst ions iii i>>ttin. his Warrit<.
but he steadily and uniformly refused to do
one not that might make his warrants of avail.
He was asked 10 i~>.r. his warrants III l!;- h SINS,
but he refused. iIv WA tlrn asked t. come To
the home If some oii, nf tha ruuiuiiiivc bat hr
again refused. was tit,ri n>hrrl lo 4iNr hi
warrant tu The coinI.I,inait that il ,ni..t he
put in the hands of some oiiircr wiIhoi,l The
knowledge of i!ie criminals across th, street.
He ,Irrlc, ~ ,lu this G.i' f.tr tr ,.i.yii u,ux.
Mr pljrUspr.
We were now rr,Eirc 1oNrrN narrpM Iiinii-.
and eur onIy cii;,ilrr srcle 20 l" ;.Hkil. oin-
pIaint and leaving tin. warrant with linn until
"ticcr culil,l call for il. Accordingly another
member of our committee. CLERGY ntlii. called
on him December lth, and mad" two ,'on,-
plants. The warrants were issued and H..
complainant asked the iui.c to hold thrm tilt
two O'Clock tlrt afternoon, when tu uiiirvr
who had h,rn selected hy the cont .,iu'iut
would rAIl for ih"M. This tli iill-errtu 30 10.
The complainant then asked if one Of thc War-
rants could he sent tu the sheriff. bIli th~ also
was refused. an,l both were given tie eli mar
>hal: h,; even then the Judge wu;d not >,n,
them to the marshal, bat the marshal must
needs come for them il full view Of the run;
sellers. and ihli- advertise thn Whoh. matter.
The Judge then declared ti.at be should ;!Wav.
send for the nearest .llircr before tine com
l,Iainalt left the roon unless the complainant
brought his o;iircr With him. The thing stands
NOW in this way. Til. complainant j. sure to
be one of our committee. If one of our com
inittcr roe there with an officer the rum seller,
ki,ow iher" is trouble. The ju'l-" will delay
matters in iilldin. '.pruhah!. cause" and the
rum sellers "ok ou for themselves ia the nlr.tn-
time. This DELAY must occur every time. for
the judge has refused Us l,nk forms ut conn
pIaint ii.r f.0f trr !Diuht uiuSr thr .rirHr rtic.
the complaint and warrant must always he